[US] Apple interrogation of NYC worker over union drive ruled illegal

In the US, a federal labour board has ruled that the manager of an Apple Inc. retail store in Manhattan violated labour law by asking an employee whether he supported a union campaign, Reuters reports.

This was the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) first decision involving the tech giant.

In a single-page ruling on May 6, the NLRB said the manager's questioning of the worker - who raised pay concerns at a group meeting - amounted to unlawful interrogation. It upheld a decision by an administrative judge.

The board also reportedly affirmed the judge's ruling that Apple had illegally barred workers at the World Trade Center store from distributing union flyers.

Apple has denied wrongdoing and can appeal the decision to a federal appeals court. It did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment. 

Since 2022, at least two Apple stores in the US have unionised. Unions are currently working to organise several other locations including the World Trade Center store.

Unions and workers have filed over two dozen complaints with the NLRB, accusing Apple of different instances of unlawful conduct. At least three of these cases are reportedly pending before administrative judges, including claims that Apple has refused to bargain at a unionised store in Oklahoma City.

Apple denied wrongdoing in those cases. In the May 6 case, it argued that the store manager had no intent to threaten the worker and claimed that her questioning was not the manner of extensive interrogation the board had found unlawful in previous cases.

In a footnote in its decision, the board reportedly said that the manager's intent was irrelevant. The ruling requires Apple to post notices at the store telling workers that it violated the law and informing them of their legal rights.

Source: Reuters

(Links via original reporting)

In the US, a federal labour board has ruled that the manager of an Apple Inc. retail store in Manhattan violated labour law by asking an employee whether he supported a union campaign, Reuters reports.

This was the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) first decision involving the tech giant.

In a single-page ruling on May 6, the NLRB said the manager's questioning of the worker - who raised pay concerns at a group meeting - amounted to unlawful interrogation. It upheld a decision by an administrative judge.

The board also reportedly affirmed the judge's ruling that Apple had illegally barred workers at the World Trade Center store from distributing union flyers.

Apple has denied wrongdoing and can appeal the decision to a federal appeals court. It did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment. 

Since 2022, at least two Apple stores in the US have unionised. Unions are currently working to organise several other locations including the World Trade Center store.

Unions and workers have filed over two dozen complaints with the NLRB, accusing Apple of different instances of unlawful conduct. At least three of these cases are reportedly pending before administrative judges, including claims that Apple has refused to bargain at a unionised store in Oklahoma City.

Apple denied wrongdoing in those cases. In the May 6 case, it argued that the store manager had no intent to threaten the worker and claimed that her questioning was not the manner of extensive interrogation the board had found unlawful in previous cases.

In a footnote in its decision, the board reportedly said that the manager's intent was irrelevant. The ruling requires Apple to post notices at the store telling workers that it violated the law and informing them of their legal rights.

Source: Reuters

(Links via original reporting)